Will the Long-Term Disability Insurance Company Spy on Me? (2024)

FAQs

Will the Long-Term Disability Insurance Company Spy on Me? ›

One of the most frequently asked questions in our long-term disability practice is “Will my long-term disability insurance company spy on me during this process?” More often than not, unfortunately, the answer is YES!

If the adjuster asks, “How are you doing,” never say, “I'm fine.” Talk about your reality: your pain, difficulty moving, inability to lift, your need to hire help for household chores. Answer their questions with facts, and don't volunteer irrelevant information.

Surveillance can be performed any time throughout the duration of your claim (or lawsuit, if you are involved in a lawsuit with the insurance company). There's no way to know for certain if or when you will be surveilled, but here are a few key points to be aware of: Surveillance usually occurs in 3-day stints.

In general, disability investigators often follow you around to ensure that your claim is legitimate. While this method may have been heavily used in the past, in today's day and age, claims administrators often utilize a different method for surveilling individuals, and it's with social media and background checks.

Again, be honest. Don't be afraid to explain what it's like suffering from your medical condition. Nobody likes to be called a complainer, but this is one time to not down-play your pain, your fatigue or other symptoms that makes working difficult or impossible.

For instance, applicants for long-term disability benefits should not discuss vacation plans, travel plans, or recreational activities in which they continue to participate.

Do not discuss your car accident or your injuries or post pictures that could be misconstrued on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or other sites. You should also only accept friend requests from family and friends. The insurance adjuster or detective could try to friend you so they can monitor your accounts more closely.

Insurance companies are most likely to hire private investigators to follow you and do video surveillance of you when: The insurance company has a large insurance policy covering the accident, usually when the insurance policy is $250,000 or more.

By monitoring your speed, driving frequency and braking habits, your insurance company gathers information about your driving behavior and how much time you spend on the road. They can use this to better price your premiums according to their risk in insuring you. Do insurance trackers save you money?

Is long-term disability worth it for everyone? No, while long-term disability insurance can be essential financial protection for some people, not everyone needs it. Long-term disability insurance isn't worth it if you won't be able to keep up with the payments.

How long is most long term disability? ›

Standard choices include 2, 5, or 10 years; to age 65 and to age 67. A few companies, including Guardian, offer coverage to age 70. While a longer benefit period is clearly desirable, it comes at a cost.

Yes. The LTD benefit will typically just be offset and reduced by the SSD benefit, while crediting any SSD attorney fee award first. In most cases, filing for both will substantially increase your financial security.

The Social Security Administration may decide to spy on you if they think that you may be committing a criminal act, such as fraud, or if they believe that you are no longer disabled. Typically, they will conduct a Continuing Disability Review.

The Social Security Administration does not routinely conduct surveillance on people who file for disability.

Be honest and transparent about your disability, but avoid minimizing the impact of your symptoms or limitations on your daily life. Avoid statements such as “It is not that bad” or “I can still do some things” during your interview with the claim examiner.

Answer honestly: Never embellish the facts or mislead the interviewer about your medical condition or how it's affecting you. If you truly do have a disability that's preventing you from working, this will become evident when answering truthfully.